I'm quite experienced in photography top-side however I am a relatively new diver and my little compact camera that i took along for dives just doesn't do it for me. So I've decided to gather equipment to start shooting with a DSLR.

I have been using a Canon 7D top-side and have recently decided to go full frame to get the most out of my diving experience - I just purchased a 6D. I have also purchased a canon 100mm f2.8 macro lens since this seems to be the favourite amongst most UW macro photographers - however I am rather stumped about what kind of wide angle lens to get for my full frame? I will be using ikelite equipment FYI.

Some people say the Canon 8-15 fisheye is great but that you still have to be pretty close to your subject - it also creates circular photos from 8-10mm - so I'm not too sure how I feel about this.

I was maybe looking at the 17-40, however reviews on this lens show that it only tends to stay sharp in the centre - the edges get kind of muddy

the canon 16-35 II would have been ideal but ikelite apparently doesn't make a port for it and the 16-35 I (it's predecessor) was not a good lens at all.

So now I don't know what to do :/ some insight and personal experience with WA lenses on a full frame would be great. I know people keep talking about the tokina 10-17 fisheye but its only for crop sensor... Any other brands that have a worthy WA lens?

I use the Canon 14mm L II f2.8, almost always at f8 or greater to reduce fuzzy corners. It's a beautiful lens.

For underwater wide angle you always need to get close, so wider is better.

This is an interesting choice... I've looked up the lens and it looks spectacular from the reviews and images I've seen.

(I have a 5D2 with Ikelite and the Sigma 15 : no vignetting with a large dome. awesome fisheye lense.)

I have seen this lens pop up numerous times as the go-to lens for FF cameras - my only problem is that I'll probably be using an Ikelite housing and from what I've read, the port they constructed for it causing black edges/serious vignetting because it isn't short enough. Editing every single one of my pictures isn't exactly ideal... HOWEVER, I haven't bought a housing yet. MAYBE I can muster up some cash and go with a Nauticam and then find an ideal port for it.

How do you guys feel about fixed lenses underwater on the WA/fisheye side? Do you ever find that you miss a shot since there is no zoom and you still have to get fairly close to your subject?

I shoot the 5dmk3 and I use the Tokina 10-17 with a 1.4 TC. All the wide angle shots here: http://stewartsy.com/anilao-2013/ were taken with that combo. I used the combo behind the Aquatica mini-dome (4"). The lens was usable from about 12mm-17mm. I've printed some of them to 16x24 and the quality is outstanding.

This is an interesting choice... I've looked up the lens and it looks spectacular from the reviews and images I've seen.

I have seen this lens pop up numerous times as the go-to lens for FF cameras - my only problem is that I'll probably be using an Ikelite housing and from what I've read, the port they constructed for it causing black edges/serious vignetting because it isn't short enough. Editing every single one of my pictures isn't exactly ideal... HOWEVER, I haven't bought a housing yet. MAYBE I can muster up some cash and go with a Nauticam and then find an ideal port for it.

How do you guys feel about fixed lenses underwater on the WA/fisheye side? Do you ever find that you miss a shot since there is no zoom and you still have to get fairly close to your subject?

I bought it because I shoot people in caves, and I wasn't keen on fisheye. The 14mm has a lot of very nice reviews which is always reassuring when you splash the cash. Camera bodies come and go, lenses are (hopefully) forever.

I haven't used a dSLR zoom underwater, and there have been dives where I've wanted a different focal length, but I think being forced to stick with one has been a much better learning experience. Saved me from a lot of couldn't-get-close-enough, zoomed-in-too-far experimentation.

I've also read a thread somewhere on this forum that someone was experiencing this. So bizarre... It can't be that a full frame on one camera would differ from another? My only other thought is that maybe Ikelite changed the 5510.11 port since you last bought it.

Errbrr, thanks very much for your insight about this lens. I'll do some more reading on it and see if I can test it out from a camera store. Also, I went to your website... LOVE your photography, beautiful images.

The vigneting with the Sigma 15mm is a matter of milimeters/half inches,
my camera show an small stripe the tip of the sun shade depending of the focus distance.
As Ikelite say "with full frame cameras" i believe that this is a general statement and not camera specific,

and the data on the Ikelite website regarding vignetting and the use of diopters in not very detailed.

It may be that the backplate holding your camera is slightly thicker and mounting the camera a bit more foreward,

enough to avoid vignetting.

I suggest you to borrow or rent this housing and do some tests in a poolto verify vignetting.

A very attendible source with a huge experience is reef Photo and Video in Ft. Lauderdale,
try to contact Ryan the owner.

I shoot the 5dmk3 and I use the Tokina 10-17 with a 1.4 TC. All the wide angle shots here: http://stewartsy.com/anilao-2013/ were taken with that combo. I used the combo behind the Aquatica mini-dome (4"). The lens was usable from about 12mm-17mm. I've printed some of them to 16x24 and the quality is outstanding.